After watching this 4th pre-season game it's becoming clear to me who might end up making the squad and who doesn't. Now it's just my opinion but if I was to put the team together it would go:

QB (3):

Brady, Mallett, Hoyer - No real shockers here. Mallett is still making some mental mistakes so it might be good to carry the extra QB but Mallett is the #2 QB coming out of camp and will continue to develop

WR (5):

Lloyd, Welker, Branch, Edelman, Slater - Again no real shockers. I just see anything out of the younger kids that justifies a roster spot. I expect to see Hern lined up at the WR position often this year

RB (4):

Ridley, Woodhead, Vereen, Demps - Demps easily made the team but nether Kettani now Bolden showed anything more then average RB's with Bolden making some mental errors. I think both will clear waivers and be stored on PS with potential to be called up

TE (4):

Gronk, Hern, Fells, Silvestro - With Hern being used all over the place I do think they will carry extra TE's. Fells is McDaniels guy and someone they tried to get last year so he stays but the real surprise is Silvestro. All preseason Silvestro has been nothing but solid and deserving of a roster spot

OT (4):

Solder, Vollmer, Cannon, Thomas - Cannon should be moved inside as soon as possible but the versitile Thomas adds some quality depth

Interior OL (5):

Makins, Waters, Koppen, Connolly, Wendell - I do think Waters is coming back, simply because they didn't make any moves to replace him. In the end it came down to Wendell and McDonald but without knowing McDonalds injury then Wendell gets the thumbs up

Total - 25 O

DT/NT (3):

Wilfork, Love, Brace - Brace has had a strong preseason and deserves a spot

DE/DT (2):

Deadrick, Francis - Francis might be a surprise to some but he's been consistent and impressive this preseason. I'd love to see him develop further with some in game reps

DE/OLB (5):

Scott, Jones, Nink, Bequette, Cunningham - Cunningham has shown just enough to me that he sticks on the team. He's one of the last ones to make it but he made it

LB (6):

Spikes, Hightower, Mayo, Carpenter, Kouts, Tarp - Some might see 6 as to many but this is where most of the ST's player come from and Kouts and Tarp have shown enough as decent backups along with ST's that they earned their spot imo

CB (5):

McCourty, Ras, Arrington, Moore, Dennard - This was a weak core to begin with as Moore was the last added over Cole but Cole just hasn't shown me enough to be a flex DB or ST's to justify a spot over the younger guys

S (4):

Chung, Gregory, Wilson, Ebner - Both Ebner and Wilson have been breaths of fresh air and as backups look like they don't need to carry more then them

That looks about what I'm thinking too. Like every year there will probably be a surprise cut and a surprise player to make the roster. I think that I would take Cole over moore . just my opinion though, it's very close.

Eng, I like this projection but strongly oppose to 1 area. I take Kettani, or Bolden over a 4rth TE all day. I understand Hern will play everywhere but TE will be a frequent spot for him. A true blocking FB(who can catch, and run) will be more important in McD's system then a 4rth TE....unless he uses Hern as the receiving/running FB, and uses a D-linemen/LB/O-linemen(big dude) as the blocking FB. However I think that would take away from the variety in play calling. As in we bring in Dan Connoly as a FB, and chances are we will run, like when BJGE came in last year, that is too predictable.

Eng, I like this projection but strongly oppose to 1 area. I take Kettani, or Bolden over a 4rth TE all day. I understand Hern will play everywhere but TE will be a frequent spot for him. A true blocking FB(who can catch, and run) will be more important in McD's system then a 4rth TE....unless he uses Hern as the receiving/running FB, and uses a D-linemen/LB/O-linemen(big dude) as the blocking FB. However I think that would take away from the variety in play calling. As in we bring in Dan Connoly as a FB, and chances are we will run, like when BJGE came in last year, that is too predictable.

Good point Champ. Also with a couple of the Backs getting hurt in the pre season and Ridley being their only big back I could see them keeping one of those guys over another tight end.

Eng, I like this projection but strongly oppose to 1 area. I take Kettani, or Bolden over a 4rth TE all day. I understand Hern will play everywhere but TE will be a frequent spot for him. A true blocking FB(who can catch, and run) will be more important in McD's system then a 4rth TE....unless he uses Hern as the receiving/running FB, and uses a D-linemen/LB/O-linemen(big dude) as the blocking FB. However I think that would take away from the variety in play calling. As in we bring in Dan Connoly as a FB, and chances are we will run, like when BJGE came in last year, that is too predictable.

Yeah, with the injury to Vareen we need all the RB depth we can get. I think Ridley will have a really good year here, but depth is a need. If Rid goes down, and Vareen battles injury like last year, we have real problems. The BJGE haters will be wishing he was here....although they would probably turn their attention to how much they hate Ridley and vareen, because...well they're haters.

Good point Champ. Also with a couple of the Backs getting hurt in the pre season and Ridley being their only big back I could see them keeping one of those guys over another tight end.

This forum is whacked, I know Dottie told us about today, but this is out of hand. I'm gonna start responding with hand written letters and taping them to the local super market wall....more people wuld see them....and I can edit my mistakes.

I think Moore played himself off the team tonight I think Coles gets a lucky break. The one that loses that battle will hopefully be on practice squad. I'm still not sure Hoyer and Woodhead and Edelman all stay. I just have a hunch BB may pick up waiver wire player or two. That was a good list though, I didn't look at one pick and go no way. There is always suprising roster moves by BB.

That looks about what I'm thinking too. Like every year there will probably be a surprise cut and a surprise player to make the roster. I think that I would take Cole over moore . just my opinion though, it's very close.

I thought Cole looked good in the Tampa game. The one that hasn't impressed me much and didn't really see anything from was bequette. Could we keep cole over either Scott or bequette? Cole also has ST value.

Given the the importance of the TE in this system, I would rather have Silvestro over kettani or bolden. I think kettani clears and goes to ps, bolden probably as well. Of course depends on injury situation with Ridley and vereen. If both start the season, this is my vote. If not, then flip it with Silvestro going to ps.

Guys...is Edelman really worth keeping? We have a much deeper defensive backfield this year, plus he isn't getting any better as a WR. Where is his value? I would rather add an extra db in Cole, and have demps pick up edelmans offensive and st duties. Is this crazy? Yes he's versatile, but not really better than cole and rethink demps has higher upside.

Eng, I like this projection but strongly oppose to 1 area. I take Kettani, or Bolden over a 4rth TE all day. I understand Hern will play everywhere but TE will be a frequent spot for him. A true blocking FB(who can catch, and run) will be more important in McD's system then a 4rth TE....unless he uses Hern as the receiving/running FB, and uses a D-linemen/LB/O-linemen(big dude) as the blocking FB. However I think that would take away from the variety in play calling. As in we bring in Dan Connoly as a FB, and chances are we will run, like when BJGE came in last year, that is too predictable.

My logic behind it True was that Hern was going to be used more in the WR and HB role then in the typical TE role. I came to that conclusion after they cut Gaffney and Stallworth and basically by default Branch became the #3 WR. If Hern is used often as a TE/HB then you will need to carry the 4th TE

As for blocking I agree that I'd like a blocking FB but Kettani has shown me nothing as far as lead blocking in the I formation. At least nothing more then say Silvestro or Hern can provide. I'm not willing to give Kettani a spot for average blocking that a spare TE couldn't do honestly

As for injury to the RB's, well Hern is you 5th HB but I do feel both Kettani and Bolden will clear waivers and get tossed on PS. That means if something critical came up either could be signed at anytime, but I am never in favor of keeping a player on a roster just in case because there might not be an alternative. I mean they might be on the 53man but then that means they either don't dress and you wasted a roster spot for no reason or you have to spend one of the 45 dressed players for a 5th RB in case of injury? Just doesn't make a lot of sense to me but I can see where you're coming from and the logic behind it. I just see Silvestro and hern being able to give you everything Kettani or Bolden could give you and adds the flexability to use Hern as more of a WR role

Hoyer has dropped off dramatically this year... It's scary. He looks frustrated, awkward, indecisive . That strip sack in crunch time was just bad pocket awareness. These things used to be his strong points. Yikes... Gotta cut him on downward trend principle.

I don't think Demps was that impressive. He rarely tried to take advantage of his seed and made bad cuts everywhere.

Keep coles, drop demps and hoyer.

Demps was averaging 10+yrds per punt return and has gotten past the 20 more times in limited chances then all the other KR's put together. If he carries that to each game and you only count on yards gained after the 20 on kickoffs he could get 60+ extra yards a game for the O, you don't think that's impressive. Really?

i think both mallet and hoyer looked terrible this preseason, and they will keep 4 tight ends to help out with the weak offensive line, a good blocking tight end other than gronk = an extra o-lineman. and our oline is going to be shaky this year.